Private Project

Women according to Men

This well-researched documentary, with over 120 clips from archival films shot almost exclusively by male film-makers, portrays the domestic and social position of Iranian women from 1932 to the 1979 revolution. The patriarchal family, love and deception, unwanted pregnancies and abortions, arranged marriages and polygamy form the background to the movie's central themes of education, emancipation and the salvation of Iranian women, torn between tradition and modernity.

  • Saeed NOURI
    Director
  • Saeed NOURI
    Writer
  • Saeed NOURI
    Producer
  • Iranian actresses
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Feature
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 30 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    January 12, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    35,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Iran, Islamic Republic of
  • Country of Filming:
    Iran, Islamic Republic of
  • Language:
    Persian
  • Shooting Format:
    35mm
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1:1.66
  • Film Color:
    Black & White
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Rotterdam
    Netherlands
    January 27, 2020
    World premiere
Distribution Information
  • https://www.dreamlabfilms.com
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Saeed NOURI

Born in Tehran on September 5, 1974, Saeed Nouri began his cinematographic studies in Iran with a degree from the Sooreh Institute, following that with a master's in film direction from the University of Art, Tehran, in 2005. He continued his studies in France, obtaining a PhD in cinema studies in 2013 from the ‘Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin’ (UVSQ).
Member of the ‘Cinémathèque Française’ between 2006 and 2012, he took part in debates and film critiques under the direction of Jean DOUCHET and Nicole BRENEZ. His cinematographic research has led him to interview hundreds of Iranian filmmakers, as well as having several books published and organising over 20 short-film workshops.
Translator and novelist, since his return to Iran in 2012 he has been classifying the subject matter of Iranian cinema in view of writing its definitive history. That is how ‘Women According to Men’ came about, after sifting through 4,000 hours of film in order to highlight women’s film roles between 1932 and 1979.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

In the midst of the Iranian revolution in 1979, some extremists burned down many of the country's movie theaters. After the revolution, in March of 1985, those who regarded cinema as an art of decadence and vulgarity collected and burned many copies of Iranian fiction films. You will see a part of «found footage» in this film which Iranian people watched on the screen, from 1930 to 1980. This movie shows the Iranian woman's life cycle, from tradition to modernity. Most of these movies were criticized and humiliated by Iranian film critics of the era!!!